Grab an old toothbrush, dip in bleach and spray onto the ends of the tissue paper. It works best on dark colored papers. I love black tissue paper. It works well for EVERY occasion.

Allow paper to dry (2-3 minutes) before stuffing in a gift bag. Be sure to spray bleach in a well ventilated area!! If you’re DIYing with kids, make sure at least one adult is supervising at all times!

The great thing about these posts is that you likely have everything you need for this project! It’s super fun to do and it’s exciting to see the message unfold like a polaroid picture. You just might be tempted to shake the tag as you wait for the design to dry.

It’s easier to just show you how it works in a quick GIF. Dip the brush in bleach (straight bleach works well*) and write! You’ll see the paper change as it dries. Be sure to rinse the brush in water after you’re done.

Create a bunch of reasons why you love your mom with a bunch of tags! I love how the color varied with each stroke.

Be sure to create this DIY in a well-ventilated area!! If you’re DIYing with kids, make sure at least one adult is supervising at all times!

*I experimented with different consistencies of bleach. I made the mistake of adding gum arabic to the bleach and created some chlorine gas! I noticed the solution in the jar started to foam at the surface and get warm. I quickly took it outside and watched the mixture boil. After a call to poison control, I realized what I had done. I didn’t make nearly enough to cause damage to my lungs (thank heavens), but I wouldn’t advise doing anything like that. I’ve read tutorials on thickening bleach with corn starch, but that’s still mixing an acid with a base. You may want to try toilet bowl cleaner with water until you reach your desired consistency (an idea I got from my aunt). STILL, use extreme caution and care around bleach.

Grab a tee shirt or apron and have fun with bleach! It’s a great and easy way to add a fun design with texture without a lot of clean-up. Just make sure to DIY in work clothes (or pajamas, in my case).

It’s likely you may have all the materials on-hand.

Bleach

Water

Insert (cardboard works well)

Tee/tank/apron (dark colors do best)

Round Brush

Vinegar (not pictured)

You may want to do a test-run of your design on a separate piece of paper to make sure that it will translate well in brush and bleach. Test the material with the bleach in a inconspicuous area to make sure the tee does well with the bleach.

Create your design with the brush. Make sure you have ample bleach on your brush and that you rinse the brush thoroughly after you’re done. Having a paper towel handy really helps.

Rinse tee/tank/apron in vinegar water to stop the bleaching process. Tumble dry. You’re done! I’ve made a bunch of these tees for the kids with random sayings. They’re the perfect playful tee. Make kids and grandma matching tees for double the fun!

Be sure to create this DIY in a well-ventilated area! If you’re DIYing with kids, make sure at least one adult is supervising at all times!

This week has just zoomed by so fast. We’ve been struck down with Rotavirus and RSV. The ultimate double-whammy for winter illness, if you ask me.

on Wednesday, I was on Studio 5 sharing 3 fun ways to write a love note. See below for tips and the full segment.

Chris and I don’t exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day. It’s usually a simple love letter. We’d like to try and get out, but usually the day is so crazy it doesn’t end up happening. We keep it simple to say the least.

So how to write a love letter? When it comes to the actual writing, refrain from using “I” first. Is the letter about you? No. Start with “You”. Example:

I think you’re amazing.Really? Does it really matter what I think?

You are an amazing inspiration to all you know. Ahh, that’s more like it.

I’m no pro at prose, but thinking in that direction has significantly helped me write more interesting letters. On to the crafty fun!

The School Girl

This is a playful note meant for the young or young-at-heart. Fold up an origami heart using your lined paper and seal it with a kiss or some gloriously kitschy stickers. Glitter glue doesn’t hurt, either. I used the below video for folding the heart:

The Heart Attack

Perfect snail mail attack of hearts. Rough cut a bunch of hearts and write things you love about that person. Add confetti or glitter for even more fun. But be sure you’re sending glitter to the right kind of person. It’s kind of like the measles of crafting supplies. Out. Of. Control.

The Romantic Novel

I like to write my man love notes and I like to add a little pizzaz to them! Go for maximum masculine impact with black lined paper and a white pen. Add some silver washi tape for just a little bit of glam. ;)

This post is sponsored by Lily Jade. Their bags are fabulously fashionable and oh-so-amazingly practical. With their one-of-a-kind inserts, there’s a pocket for every on-the-go-essential and they’re a breeze to launder.

The top-notch leather construction will have you looking polished while still being prepared for just about every baby contingency!

I feel like we’ve been out of the little baby phase for so long, I’ve had to re-learn how to pack a bag to leave the house!

Spare outfit, food, snacks, toys diapers, wipes. And now it’s like I have to pack for two babies. Felix will be in diapers for the next foreseeable future, so double the wipes and diapers.

With winter in full-swing around our house, I’m finding that I need to pack extra warm goodies. There have been a couple of times that we’ve left the house to find that Penelope and/or Felix underdressed for the weather. In one case we had an extra blanket in the car for Penelope. The other, I gave her my extra layers. There’s nothing I won’t do for my kids. I’m a-okay with shivering if I know my kids are toasty warm. But it’s not ideal with how windy and cold it’s been.

This gave me an idea. Instead of packing multiple outfits (one for each kid), I’ll just pack a onesie and an extra blanket. ‘ve made a blanket that rolls into itself quite small, but it’s large enough to wrap a nearly-7-year-old that’s crazy enough to forget a coat before leaving the house.

I made this blanket with flannel on one side and a soft vintage shirting on the other. The shirting has a fairly tight weave and the flannel is warm. The two together cut out quite a bit of wind, providing for a surprisingly warm layer that isn’t ridiculously bulky.

And with the added elastic, it doesn’t unravel in my purse. It stays small.

The size of the blanket makes it perfect for a tight swaddle. I can wrap her twice so her arms and legs can’t get out. On Friday, we went to see lights at a local shipping center. I wore her in a wrap, but to keep her extra warm (since I couldn’t zip up my jacket at that point), I wrapped the blanket around her and me, tying it in the back. She kept toasty warm during the below-freezing temperatures.

I have to say, using this purse has been amazing. It’s got something like 20+ pockets in various sizes so everything has a space and it doesn’t get jostled around. I keep thinking, this would also double for the perfect weekender bag.

The leather is incredible, the interior insert is washable! My purses’ interiors tend to get so hashed, it’s great to be able to take it out and clean it up. The multiple handles provide great variety so I can sling it cross my body or just on a shoulder.

So back to the blanket. It’s ridiculously easy to make, just requires a few simple things. Let’s get started, shall we?